Lawyers: Rapper 21 Savage granted release on bond from ICE custody

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Lawyers for rapper 21 Savage say he has been released on bond from federal immigration custody.

For the past 9 long days, we, on behalf of She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, known to the world as 21 Savage, have been speaking with ICE to both clarify his actual legal standing, his eligibility for bond, and provide evidence of his extraordinary contributions to his community and society," said Charles H. Kuck, Dina LaPolt and Alex Spiro on behalf of She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph. "In the last 24 hours, in the wake of the Grammy Awards at which he was scheduled to attend and perform, we received notice that She'yaa was granted an expedited hearing.

"Today, 21 Savage was granted a release on bond. He won his freedom," the statement continued. "21 Savage asked us to send a special message to his fans and supporters--he says that while he wasn't present at the Grammy Awards, he was there in spirit and is grateful for the support from around the world and is more than ever, ready to be with his loved ones and continue making music that brings people together.

"He will not forget this ordeal or any of the other fathers, sons, family members, and faceless people, he was locked up with or that remain unjustly incarcerated across the country," the statement said. "And he asks for your hearts and minds to be with them."

Late Monday night, Congressmember and Chair of the Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) released an official statement of support for Mr. Abraham-Joseph

Abraham-Joseph was taken into immigration custody early on Feb. 3.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said the British citizen had overstayed his visa and has a felony conviction.Abraham-Joseph's lawyers said they've been speaking with ICE since his arrest to "clarify his actual legal standing, his eligibility for bond, and provide evidence of his extraordinary contributions to his community and society."

They have previously said the 26-year-old rapper was brought to the U.S. when he was 7 and his legal status expired in 2006 through no fault of his own.